Probably because he had heard that Old Master Xiao would return to Country M, Mu Feichi, still fully dressed in his military uniform, went straight to the Xiao family villa right after he was done with his meeting at the military department.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw an elderly man and a young lady sitting in the pavilion playing chess. He stepped forward and glanced at the situation on the chessboard. With just one glance, he could already anticipate the ending of this match.

Turning around, he sat down sideways on the stone chair right next to Yun Xi; then, he poured himself a cup of hot tea. Holding up the teacup with a smile, he said teasingly, “Grandpa, when it comes to military strategies, this girl knows much better than me, and she’s not the type to give in easily either. This game of chess is clearly deadlocked. The little girl is simply way too merciful because she could easily crush you with just one move, yet she chooses to do nothing. But if you’re hoping to outsmart her, that will certainly be a challenge.”

As the saying goes, ‘Catch old birds with chaff, you cannot.’ How could Old Master Xiao not see that Yun Xi chose to spare him on the chessboard? He only proposed playing chess today because he wanted to know the girl’s disposition.

Today’s Jingdu has become a playground for the corrupt. She had just come of age and was now the only heiress to the Xiao family. Be it her disposition or tactics, she was no match against those wily foxes. Even if Jingdu’s intelligence network and all ten of their best men were sent to her side, she would still quickly become a pawn at the expense of others’ interests if she was not capable enough herself.

During this trip back, he had spent quite some time in this country, and the next time he would get to see her again would likely be when the girl finally returns to the Xiao family. Before leaving, he felt there were certain things he had to mention that the girl needed to know. Even if Mu Jinzhi was by her side, as a military commander and a soldier, he was bound to have priorities that needed his utmost attention.

The old man raised his eyebrows, rubbing the ‘Guardian’ chess piece in his hand without making a move for a long time, and those eyes that settled on Yun Xi were deep and wise. “Little girl, did you hear what he said? Are you letting me win because you think your old grandpa here is a sore loser?”

“That’s not it. I’m just not ruthless enough, as the Young Commander said. So if I encounter such a situation in the future where I have to decide between the bigger picture and those related to me, how should I choose? Whether I should be ruthless or focus on the bigger picture—isn’t this what you’re trying to teach me today, Grandpa?”

It’s not that she could not be ruthless because she had never been soft on her enemies, but when it came to people and matters related to her, she tended to be a little less decisive. It was also the one fine line she could never bring herself to cross in this life where she had been reborn.

“You are the heiress of the Xiao family and your father’s only daughter. According to his temperament, he would never want to get you involved in the murky waters of Jingdu. He would rather keep you under someone’s wings for the rest of your life than see you harmed by the tiniest scratch. But if you insist otherwise, he will respect your choice. The game of chess in Jingdu has already begun. With your talent, I hope that you will be the one who controls the game and not a pawn who gets played.”

“Understood, Grandpa!” As the wise words awakened the dreamer, she lifted her hand and landed the ‘General’ on the chessboard. With just one move, the winner of the game was decided.

Old Master Xiao put away the chess piece in his hand and nodded with a faint smile. “Now, that’s more like it! That’s the way of the Xiao family!”

Standing up, Old Master Xiao looked at the time. “Okay, it’s time I hit the road. You don’t have to bother sending me off. As I get older, the less I seem to like farewells.”

“Grandpa…” The old man was about to leave, and she suddenly felt a little reluctant. Compared with the old man in the Yun family, who hardly ever cared about anything or showed her any form of love, Old Master Xiao’s view of the world and the generosity of his heart were far beyond that of the average person. With just one game of chess, he managed to lead her out of the woods.

Old Master Xiao smiled lovingly and touched her head. “We’ll meet again soon enough, once you’re ready to return to the Xiao family. I believe it won’t take long.”

Yun Xi nodded. She, too, believed that her official return to the Xiao family was a day that was soon approaching.